Age a talking point in royal penpal exchanges

Outgoing New Zealand High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sir Lockwood Smith, has revealed he and Prince Charles are sort-of penpals. Speaking on TVNZ’s +A, Smith said he was just one day older than the prince. ‘‘On my birthday, I normally write to him to wish him a happy birthday for the next day, and he always writes back, and we share a few things about getting old.’’ Smith has been New Zealand’s High Commissioner to London for three years and his posting is coming to an end.

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